This invention relates to an electric component unit with a lead wire connection terminal fitment, and more particularly to an electric component unit such as a high-voltage variable resistor or the like which includes a casing provided with a terminal fitment mounting section and has a lead wire connection terminal fitment formed by subjecting a metal sheet to machining and mounted on the terminal fitment mounting section by means of a fit structure and such a lead wire connection terminal fitment.
An electric component unit such as a high-voltage variable resistor or the like which is called a focus pack and combined with a fly-back transformer generally includes a casing, which often has lead wire connection terminal fitments fixed thereon for connecting lead wires led out of electric components received in the casing thereto. Such a lead wire connection terminal fitment is generally formed either by bending a rod-like or wire-like conductor or by subjecting a metal plate or sheet to machining. The former process causes the wire connection terminal fitment formed to be rotated about a central axis thereof when it is formed into a simple configuration, so that it is highly difficult to fix the terminal fitment on a terminal fitment mounting section of the casing only by means of the fit structure. On the contrary, the latter process not only permits the terminal fitment formed to be fixed on the terminal fitment mounting section of the casing merely by means of the fit structure, but facilitates mass production of the lead wire connection terminal fitment.
In Japanese Patent Application No. 204900/1992 assigned to the assignee, a lead wire connection terminal fitment is disclosed which is formed by subjecting a metal sheet to machining. The lead wire connection terminal fitment disclosed is made of a metal sheet as thin as about 0.3 mm. The metal sheet is thus reduced in thickness, therefore, a fitted section of the lead wire connection terminal fitment which is to be fitted on a fitment terminal mounting section of a casing and a terminal section thereof are increased in width, resulting in being subject to bending for reinforcement. Also, the lead wire connection terminal fitment disclosed is so constructed that connection of a lead wire thereto is carried out by winding a core of a lead wire on a lead wire connection section and then subjecting the core and lead wire connection section to soldering.
Such an electric component unit is generally demanded to be reduced in manufacturing cost, price and the number of steps in the manufacturing as in other electric component units. In order to address to such demands, automated assembling of the electric component unit and a reduction in the number of times of soldering in manufacturing thereof have been generally employed. However, the conventional lead wire connection terminal fitment formed by subjecting a metal sheet to machining substantially fails to automate lead wire connection operation and ensure lead wire connection without any welding. Also, the lead wire connection terminal fitment thus formed fails to permit a terminal section to be formed into a thin configuration like a pin terminal. Thus, the lead wire connection terminal fitment formed by machining of a metal sheet cannot be applied to a structure wherein terminal sections of all terminal fitments are inserted into through-holes of a circuit board and connection of terminal sections of all terminal fitments to a female connector.